Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-03-16
NATIONAL EDUCATORS
MEETING OF THE NATIONAL DEPARTMENT
OF SUPERINTENDRNCE
AT WsshingtOn-Ths School in POliics-COrup-
6On in the Election Of Trustees Should
Not be Made Party Matter
Speeches Of the Members

WASHINGTON, March l5-At the meet
ing of the National Department of Superin-
tendents here to-day, Mr.. Young, in reply
ing TO the address of welcome, said he re-
gretted to see suggestions that this depart
mcnt should meet in the summer time
with the National Association. The de-
partment should not be overpowered by
the many who are only gazers on the work
of education. This department. he insist
ed should continue to be the body to which
the people should look for counsel OH edu-
cational matters. This should be the edu-
cational senate. Through the work of this
department, the National Educational As
sociation was established in advance of all
similar bureaus in other countries. Still
the work Of the department was just be-
gun. The lack of uniformity IN
States of granting certificates and
other subjects demanded attention.
In education he said lies the security OF the
whole people. Six millions of our people
over ten years of age can neither read nor
write. This condition will exist until aid
is afforded by the Legislators who assem-
bled at the Capitol, but who seemed to
assemble in every other interest except the
educational interest. He referred TO the
expenditures for public education in
France, Germany, Holland and other coun-
tries There was nothing in their history
against government aid to the national
nurseries of science and learning.
Among members present To day were
Hon. Leroy d. Brown, Columbus, Ohio;
Hon. b. S. Morgan, OF West Virginia; H..
S. Jones, of Erie, Pa. w. II. Anderson, of
Wheeling.
At the evening session the subject for
discussion was civil Service and Public
Schools" " The principal address of the
evening was delivered by Hon. Leroy ID.
Brown, State Commissioner of Common
Schools of Ohio. Mr.. Brown said the al
most universal practice was TO elect school
trustees. 1t seemed TO him that some
modification of the present method Of
choosing boards of education should be
adopted. The spOils system had worked
so long that it had crept into the election
of members of school boards. The time
had come when the department of superin-
tendence should seok to discover and apply
remedy. An Intelligent, or, if not
that, then at least character" certiiica-
tion should govern the selection OF school
trustees.
Mr.. b. S. Morgan, State Superintendent
of Public instruction of West Virginia,
deplored the partisan prostitution ofpubllc
schools and said reform was necessary i'll
examinations, tenure of Office for teachers
and unification of work
Superintendent of Schools George &.
Luckey, of Pittsburg, said the trouble was
that rings" controlled the election OF
trustees and that the remedy lay with the
people.
Dir. H. K. Wait, of Boston, President of
the Association of Civics; Thos. i. Ballard,
of Columbus, o.; w. II. Anderson, Super
intcndent of Schools, Wheeling, w. Va;
J. d. Hale, Washington, and DIR. A. J..
Marble, Superintendent of Schools, Worces-
ter, Mass, also gave their views on the
question. DIR. Marble took the ground
that things were by no means rs bad as
they had been pictured